The hospital has finally started providing services of a doctor to the patients after Dr Surya Hamal joined around two weeks ago. There are six government posts for doctors in Bardiya district including primary health centers but five of them still remain vacant. [break]
Bringing the doctor to Bardiya is no mean feat and required long arduous process by the District Hospital Development Committee. "We had to make repeated pleas to the authorities concerned to send doctor for the sake of common people in Bardiya," said president of the committee Ram Chandra Thapa.
People in Bardiya, who have suffered for long in the absence of doctor, have been delighted at the mere sight of a doctor in the district hospital. "We have to no longer suffer in the lack of doctors now," said an ecstatic Samim Ansari and thanked the committee for bringing the doctor.
The 25-bed hospital has vacancy for three doctors but remains without even one most of the time. "We fear even he (the new doctor) will use political pressure to go away," said Bal Krishna Oli, president of the civil society.
The problem is not just with doctors and the hospital always remains short of other health workers as well. The hospital has 35 vacancies for health workers but majority of them remain absent. "We have been over-burdened due to the lack of health workers," complained chief at the emergency section Ambar Khadka.
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